Flashpoint – 23 August 2019

What’s Happening?

The news stories report on Finance Ministry’s rejection of Indian media reports about Pakistan being blacklisted by FATF, NACTA ban on two more organizations and the US president Donald Trump’s comment regarding role of Pakistan and India in fighting terrorism in South Asia. Op-eds discuss the need of redefining terrorism.

Today’s News Stories

NACTA slaps ban on two more organisations

The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has declared two more outfits, Hizbul Ahrar and Balochistan Raaji AjoiR-Sangar (BRAS), proscribed organisations under Section 11-B of the Anti-Terrorism Act, putting their members and activities under surveillance. According to a source, the interior ministry has placed the two organisations on the list of proscribed outfits. Seventy-one such organisations are already on the list.

Religious leader vows to protect faith in finality of prophethood with life

Mufti Kifayatullah of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e- Islam (F), while speaking at the Sunni Conference at Tala Gang has said that the faith in the singularity of Allah and the finality of prophethood will be protected with life. He demanded that the government control the subversive activities of Qadianis (Ahmadiyya community) and bring them under the scope of law. Speaking at the conference, religious leaders said every Muslim is ready to protect Islam and to foil the machinations of Qadianis and other enemies of Islam.

The Ministry of Finance has rejected Indian media reports about Pakistan being blacklisted by the Asia-Pacific Group (APG), the regional affiliate of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The ministry said the reports were incorrect and baseless. They added that a press release would be issued shortly. Indian media on Friday reported that Pakistan had been placed on the blacklist; however, no source has been mentioned by the outlets.

US President urges Pakistan, India to do more against terrorism

US President Donald Trump has said that other countries must assume the battle against Islamic extremists as the US negotiates a withdrawal from Afghanistan. He singled out India and Pakistan as frontline countries that are doing little to fight jihadist groups. “Look, India´s right there, they are not fighting it, we´re fighting it.” He said. “Pakistan is next door. They´re fighting it, very little. it´s not fair. The United States is seven thousand miles away,” he told reporters.

Former MPA arrested over alleged hate speech

Jhang Police arrested a former member of the Punjab Assembly Iftikhar Khan Baloch under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order. Iftikhar. Baloch allegedly delivered a hate speech at Sharifabad in the precincts of NA-114, a couple of days ago. The local Deputy Commissioner said Mr. Baloch was also involved in activities which could cause disturbances during the month of Muharram.

Crucial round of US-Taliban peace talks opens in Doha

The United States and the Afghan Taliban have resumed peace talks in Qatar to try to conclude an agreement that would bring an end to the longest US overseas military intervention. The crucial ninth round of talks in the yearlong dialogue process got under way Thursday in the Qatari capital of Doha amid expectations it will lead to the much-awaited peace agreement between the two adversaries.

Opinion

Redefining terrorism

This opinion piece by Hamid Dabashi in The News says the surge in white supremacist terrorism in the world necessitates redefining terrorism as its earlier notions have strictly focused on religiously motivated acts of violence. The writer says US which has faced most of the mass shootings by their own ‘white’ terrorists is still facing a hard time in accepting the reality. He says were the same act perpetrated by some Muslim terrorist, the entire US machinery would have mobilized. The writer says the acts of terror that can come from any ideology, whether adopted by Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, or other religious groups or even the so-called seculars, agnostics and atheists.